Books & MEDIA
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Books
Brain-Based Learning
I have partnered with brain expert Dr. Eric Jensen to revise this best-selling book, Brain-Based Learning. In this massive revision we bring you the latest research on the brain as it relates to learning. We’ve made the science more understandable and offer thousands of practical strategies to improve student learning.
Teaching with
the Brain in Mind
Yes! Dr. Jensen and I are also partnering to produce an updated 3rd edition to the classic best-seller, Teaching With the Brain In Mind. This new edition draws upon research to make direction connections to your classroom to improve student engagement, learning, and achievement.
As long as they answer YES to these 7 questions
ALL students can learn math; but they aren’t. To create mathematical environments where ALL students can learn math, focus on these seven questions that reveal what students need for math to truly be accessible to ALL students.
Publications
Mathematics Teacher: Learning & Teaching PK-12, February 2024
Activities and resources to help learners foster a positive math identity through the lens of social justice standards.
ASCD Leadership Journal, May 2020
Teaching with the brain in mind means teaching to the whole child – a wholistic approach that includes cognitive, behavioral, and emotional strategies.
ASCD Leadership Journal, January 2022
To accelerate student motivation, it’s important to understand the driving forces that influence motivational urges. This 3-step process can pave the way for educators to activate the motivational systems in students’ brains with more consistency and ease.
TV News Appearances
A special report
A special TV news report highlighting the transformational work Liesl McConchie has done to boost student learning through incorporating more physical activity.
Podcast Appearances
On the Debate Math Podcast
In this episode Liesl McConchie takes on the movement calling itself the science of math. In this riveting debate, Liesl (and her amazing debate partner, Shelly Jones) highlight the glaring gaps in this movement. We talk about how a student-centered approach to learning will never lead to a prescribed approach for all, and how there are much better ways to build fluency than timed math tests.
On the Math Therapy Podcast
On this episode, brain expert Liesl McConchie joins Math Therapy to explain the neurological science of trauma, debunk the myth of the “math gene”, and discuss the hopeful promise of neuroplasticity.
On the Podcast Educator Happy Hour
Identity formation affects all of us — whether we are talking math identity, literacy identity, or any other academic field. In this episode, Liesl McConchie, math education expert, takes a deep dive on how identity forms and why that matters.
On the Debate Math Podcast
On this episode, Liesl engages in a conversation around some popular concepts that have been deemed controversial – standardized assessments; direct instruction vs. inquiry-based learning; productive struggle; pacing guides; and more.
On the Podcast Radical Math Talk
On this episode, Liesl engages in a conversation around some popular concepts that have been deemed controversial – standardized assessments; direct instruction vs. inquiry-based learning; productive struggle; pacing guides; and more.
Another episode of Debate Math
The previous episode was such a hit, Liesl was invited back to offer further insights into the topics of memorization, learning, and needed reforms in math education. We dive deep into the principles of effective pedagogy that lead to long-term retention. (Spoiler: it’s not rote memorization!)
On the podcast Debate Math
In this episode Liesl McConchie takes on the anti-memorization crowd and debates IN FAVOR of memorization. Having math facts stored in long-term memory makes deep mathematical thinking possible, and easier. There is also an equity issue at play, as it relates to cognitive load theory. Where do you stand on the topic?
On the podcast The 10-Minute Teacher
Getting the brain “ready” to learn is an over-looked component of exceptional lesson design. The reality is most students don’t walk into your classroom “ready” to learn, and thus achieve poor learning outcomes. Tune it for a fast-paced overview of how to get students eager to learn math.
On the podcast Make Math Moments Matter
In this episode, Liesl McConchie outlines the 3-part cure to “Math is Boring!” Understanding the brain’s hard-wired motivators boosts student efficacy and learning. Listen in to hear specific strategies Liesl uses to boost student motivation.
